Carolyn Lewis: Bill Richardson and the Limits of Loyalty
Posted at 1:50 pm, April 5th, 2008
Bill Clinton and some others seem to think that because he gave Bill Richardson a couple of jobs in his administration, the New Mexico governor now owes lifetime fealty to the Clintons. Clinton supporter James Carville labeled Richardson “Judas” when the governor announced his endorsement of Barack Obama.
It’s as though, once attached in some measure to the Clintons, a person is no longer free to follow his conscience and remove himself from the embrace. This is an odious abuse of the concept of loyalty. Loyalty has to be considered contingent or else it lapses into tyranny.
There is, after all, a higher loyalty than that which we owe our employers, family and friends, church and state. There is a point when our personal conscience refuses to make cowards of us, when we have to go where our hearts and minds tell us to go. In the end that choice may not be either the right or wise one, but we must be free to make it.
An irony here is that Obama, too, made a choice when he stood by his fiery pastor. He chose to remain loyal to a man who had mentored him and drawn him into the church community. Wise or not, Obama followed his conscience and in spite of the political risks, he felt free to do so.
Naysayers like Carville and the Clintons who criticize Obama and Richardson for their choices might spare a measure of respect for the essential American right to freely choose. That they have failed so far to do so says more about them than it does about those on the receiving end of their complaints.
April 5th, 2008 at 2:25 pm |
The Clintons are a just a DIGRACEFUL pair of people. I really want Hillary to just get out of the primary!
April 5th, 2008 at 3:04 pm |
I agree. The Clintons should leave the race. They need to look at themselves in the mirror. Bush/Cheney must be empeached, but the Lewinsky story gave us a great chance to see their character more clearly. They both denied blatantly in front of the jury until they could no longer destroy all the information against them. They proved to us that are habitual liars, dishonest, untruthful and no integrity, much less good judgement. They are even loyal to any of us. They do not care about destroying this country or the party. Why should we waist our time with them. They impose themselves with their fake cold face that are able to deceive only the uninformed.
April 5th, 2008 at 4:15 pm |
Great article and superb perspective on this issue, Carolyn.
April 5th, 2008 at 5:51 pm |
We’ve had seven years of an administration that prizes loyalty above conscience and competence. Can America really stand more?
April 6th, 2008 at 5:09 pm |
I disagree. Richardson hopped on a bandwagon that was already going downhill in order for some press. Where was he when others were working hard pushing that wagon uphill? Going on vacation and working on his beard.
Superdelegates flip-flopping may be their choice and their right. But, it is not being a leader. It is Carville’s right to speak his mind as well. Party loyalty should come after personal loyalty. If these candidates have no sense of personal loyalty are they really going to care about us when they run for office? Richardson was trying to keep his career alive, as is Jon Corzine in N.J. The will of the people is the LAST thing they have on their minds.
Hillary doesn’t feel she is entitled. She is not the one strutting around and acting cocky and claiming victory. She is speaking to us and not preaching AT us. You don’t vote for a candidate because today they make you FEEL good. You vote for a candidate that you TRUST will fight to make things better for you for 4 years and on day one. Obama has no competence or conscience. To take children to a place where their worshipped leader gyrates on stage and talks of riding dirty and hatred for whites and our country. I don’t care if it is only a soundbite. I wouldn’t not expose my children to any such thing. One day, let alone 20 years. Ole Rev. Wright is going to retire in a community that is 93% white and less than 2% AA. Talk about a joke! You people need to put on your glasses and take a good look. Lies, dishonest moments, lack of integrity and such. All of our candidates are guilty of those qualities and we probably are too. You actually think Obama has been truthful about everything? The only reason he gave the race speech was to change the subject. They ship off Wright to whereever to avoid having more press. Wright and tutu got thrown under the bus. Get off the pot people. Obama is destroying the party. Superdelegates are destroying our patriotism. GO HILLARY